That's No Way To Say Goodbye
by KsandraMallan
Summary: ElrondCelebrian songfic, Leonard Cohen's Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye. Elrond's thoughts as his wife prepares to sail West. Please review. slightly AU


**I finally return to the LOTR dimension! This plot bunny ambushed me when I was still half-awake at five in the morning… it won, so I wrote this. **

**Time period: approximately 2510 Third Age, according to the Appendices. **

**Notes: My OC (Mirwen Sunrider/Elrondiel) appears in this chapter—her parents died at the Last Battle, and Elrond took her in as a 12-year-old. When Elrond and Celebrian married, she was officially adopted by them. She is approximately 2522 years old in this. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own LOTR or the song, they belong to Tolkien and Leonard Cohen respectively. Do own my OC, please don't copy. **

I never thought it would end like this.

I remember the first morning—we spent the entire day in bed, savoring the taste fo each other.

_I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm_

_your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm,_

I wonder—did the first Eldar feel like this? Did they ever love like this? For all my lore, I do not know—but I imagine so. I know my love and I are not first, but nor will we be the last.

_Yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new,_

_in city and in forest they smiled like me and you,_

We are nearing the shore—I can smell the salt. Why must this distance separate us?

"I—I'll send letters." To my dismay, my voice threatens to crack with emotion. Not now, I must be strong…

"I know you will, meleth-nin." (1) She murmurs, her voice soft and melodic.

_But now it's come to distances and both of us must try,_

_Your eyes are soft with sorrow,_

_Hey, that's no way to say goodbye._

I dismount from my horse, then lift her down, her thin form almost weightless in my arms. "I will never love another like this until we are together again." I murmur.

"You have a long way to go, my love, but I have faith in you." She whispers against my neck.

_I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time,_

"Put me down, beloved. I want to walk with you."

I obey, easing her to the ground—she supports herself on my arm, and we start walking in time, as the twins—our sons—love to do.

_Walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme_

"My love will always be with you, no matter how far it has to travel." I caress her hand gently.

"And mine will remain here with you." She responds, leaning on me.

_You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me,_

We are walking along the soft grass of the shoreline—that will always change, like the world around us, and the ever-shifting sea. The sea would lure me right now, if I was not so weighted down by grief.

_It's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea,_

I open my mouth—but she touches a finger to my lips. "Hush. Let's not speak of love or binding ourselves—just walk with me."

_But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie,_

Her eyes are blue, as blue as the sky—and so incredibly sad. I wish it were not this way, that we could stay in Imladris forever and be happy.

_Your eyes are soft with sorrow,_

_Hey, that's no way to say goodbye._

I remember this morning. I woke her with a gentle kiss, but she pulled me down and kissed me deeply. I ended up lying beside her, playing with her wonderful hair, spread out like a beautiful golden storm over the pillow.

_I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm,_

_Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm,_

Sometimes, I wonder if my parents—or hers—ever loved like this. But I know every family that has to be separated has these moments—when I glance towards our companion, sitting atop her horse, both of them as still as statues, a sad smile etched on her lips, I am forcibly reminded of it. We adopted our eldest daughter officially when we wed—her parents died at the Last Battle. I remember smiling at each other like this before we marched to Barad-dur and they to their dooms.

I remember her father well. He died saving my life. I remember before we began the march, he took his wife's hand and pressed it to his lips for a moment. His smile is etched in my memory—it is the one his daughter now wears, and the one on my lips and the one on my wife's beautiful face.

_Yes many loved before us, I know that we are not new,_

_In city and in forest they smiled like me and you,_

The ship is waiting. My daughter dismounts from her horse and walks over, but patiently waits for me to say my goodbye. My wife flashes a grateful smile at her—she smiles back, but the smile does not reach her eyes.

"We will meet again, my love. We may have to wait, but it will be worth it." she murmurs as I hold her gently. When I try to speak, she hushes me again. "Don't say a word. If you do, we will both break apart. Kiss me—one last time."

My heart is breaking, but I do as she asks.

_But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie,_

We finally break apart—she touches my face gently, then turns to our adopted—but no less dearly loved—daughter. They speak a few quiet words and embrace for a long moment, before my wife, my Celebrian, the light of my days, turns and boards the grey ship.

_Your eyes are soft with sorrow,_

Her blue eyes hold mine as the ship pushes off from the shore. They are the color of the sea, wondrously beautiful but so heart-breakingly sad.

When the ship is too far for me to even see her white gown, I release a long breath and look down at the young woman standing by my side, watching me out of knowing but sad dark eyes.

"Ada?" she whispers, and I hear her voice tremble.

I enfold her in a hug as I continue to stare after the ship. She has known no other mother than Celebrian, and I must raise her and my children now. I have to be strong for my children—and Middle-Earth.

"Goodbye, my love." I whisper. "Forgive me for not coming with you—but I have to fulfil my duties here first. Once they are complete, we can be together again."

_Hey, that's no way to say goodbye. _

"And Valar help those who try to separate you." My daughter whispers against my chest, a tiny, wry smile curving her lips as I glance down at her in amusement. Without saying anything, I hold her tighter, glad that even though the Valar have decided to take Celebrian from me, it will only be temporary—and I have other joys in life to sustain me.

**Finis**

**Any comments, people? I apologize for a maybe slightly OOC Elrond… throws pack of cookies here, have one in compensation… **


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